WATCH: How to deter bicycle thieves? A booby-trapped explosive lock should do it

Bicycle theft is a serious problem all over the world, with disappointed owners rounding a corner to see the spot where their bike used to stand chained to a post, with only the mangled remains of a lock on the ground. That is why the maker of Bike Mine think they’ve come up with a better deterrent than a u-shaped piece of metal – some hidden explosives.

In short, their system is a benign booby trap designed to send anyone who picks up a bicycle that doesn’t belong to them running. When the thief starts moving the two wheels of either the pushbike or motor cycle to which it is attached, an explosion is triggered by what is known to ballistics experts as a saluting blank – a projectile-free shotgun shell.

Described by its developers as legal to own and use, these shells can be quickly affixed to a bicycle frame, and produce a bang of 150 decibels, that should frighten anyone unaware of their existence and draw the attention of everyone in the area. The Bike Mine creators also say that provided the shell doesn’t fire point-blank into a thief’s face, it will not cause any physical damage.

The Bike Mine starter kit can be pre-ordered with a $70 donation to the Kickstartercampaign, and comes with the easy-to-attach rigging, titanium tripwire, and three shells. You can watch the pitch in full below: